MLK Park Neighborhood Association board of directors

Our board is made up of nine area neighbors that are devoted to this community and its residents.

Tino Scott

President
tino@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

As a lifelong Grand Rapidian, Tino is passionate about the work of creating sustainable communities and healthier environments. Tino has lived in the MLK Park neighborhood for 10 years and is eager to be a member of the first board of the newly formed MLK Park Neighborhood Association. As a proud father and husband, Tino has learned that with commitment and hard work great things can be the norm. When not working hard, his hobbies include genealogy and auto repair. 

christina mcpike

Vice President
​​christina@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

Christina is a transplant to Grand Rapids and has lived in our amazing community since 2017. She started out knocking on doors and inviting people to block club events, which eventually turned into becoming more involved in community organizing. She is very passionate about our neighborhood and seeing it flourish. Christina is a licensed clinical social worker and loves her work with children and adolescents. In her free time, Christina loves to cook, travel, and go on long walks in our neighborhood with her dog, Wendy. ​

marci lewandowski-jenkins

Secretary
marci@kingparkneighbors.org

Marci grew up two hours south of Grand Rapids, in Niles, Michigan—a border town with South Bend, Indiana.  It was while working in South Bend that Marci met her husband, Darryl.  They moved to Grand Rapids in 1995 where Darryl attended Aquinas and Marci completed her MSW at Grand Valley State University.  As a social worker, Marci has assisted individuals with disabilities and older adults navigate Medicaid waiver programs known as the Older Adult Waiver and the Habilitation Waiver. She currently works as a paraprofessional for Lighthouse Academy. Darryl and Marci have a nineteen-year-old son who is still allowed to live at home (despite his allegiance to the Wolverines instead of the Irish!). The Jenkins family has lived near MLK Park since 1998.

Michelle Velting

Treasurer
​​Michelle@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

Michelle was born and raised in Grand Rapids, but has only been a member of this neighborhood since 2014. Ever since then she has been passionate about being part of this vibrant neighborhood and serving our community. Michelle is grateful to now be able to put her business education to use with the Neighborhood Association board. When not working on the neighborhood website or flyers, Michelle loves to go for hikes and swim in Lake Michigan. When the weather gets cold you can usually find her snuggled up doing some type of craft.

Mae Black

Co-chair
​safety and crime prevention committee
​MAe@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

Ms. Mae Black has lived in the neighborhood since 1975. Her history in the neighborhood makes her an asset to the board. In recent years, Ms. Black has noticed many changes in the neighborhood and a significant number of new neighbors. As a board member, Ms. Black is dedicated to connecting old neighbors with new neighbors and strengthening neighborhood relationships. Outside of board member duties, Ms. Black enjoys sewing and loves to travel.

DAN ELZINGA

c0-chair
​SAFETY AND CRIME PREVENTION COMMITTEE
​dan@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

A Grand Rapids native, Dan has lived in the MLK Park neighborhood since 2006.  He is a Licensed Professional Land Surveyor, and when he is not working he enjoys being outside with his family, camping, hiking, cooking, riding his motorcycle or working on projects around his home.   ​​

Ellen Atkins

co-chair
Events and programming
​​ellen@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

Ellen Atkins is a wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Ellen has served on numerous community boards and coalitions that spoke directly to the concerns of our community over the years. Her church home is Messiah Missionary Baptist Church.

Ellen was educated at Community College and GVSU and because education has always been very important to her, is proud to say all four of her children have college degrees as well. Her career as a nurse expands over 40 years and she has felt blessed to touch the lives of many people in the community in that time. Ellen's career has gone from acute care to hospice care and finally to the private sector as Minority Program Coordinator for Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, where it was an honor to be the head of a fantastic group of women known as Sister to Sister, a support group for women of color. 

Ellen and her husband have lived on Underwood for 41 years. During that time they have seen the neighborhood change, grow and change again as they raised their family. Ellen’s children are now adults and frequently reminisce together about the kids playing football or basketball in the street, or the girls jumping Double Dutch, often with their dads turning the ropes badly. Ellen’s favorite times have been the backyard barbeques and card games on our deck with all the neighbors drinking adult beverages and the kids running all over the yard eating hot dogs and having fun. Looking back at these memories leaves a smile on her face. This community is Ellen's home and she is so glad to be a part of it.

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Jenn Victor

co-chair
Events and programming
jenn@KINGPARKNEIGHBORS.ORG

Originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Jenn has lived in Grand Rapids since 2007. Along with her family she has lived in the neighborhood since 2012, finding their perfect home here in MLK. Jenn has always felt that a strong community presence creates a healthy neighborhood and she wanted to be a part of that in the MLK Park area. Jenn has been a social worker for over a decade and is passionate about helping others and giving back to the community. She also loves to garden, play in nature with her family and 2 dogs and continue to learn new and interesting things.